1950年代，發端自美國的極簡音樂，有許多作曲家依此美學觀創作，且學者也不斷著述探討，「何謂極簡音樂?」，學者各有不同觀點，甚至意見相反，故筆者依此為題釐清極簡音樂定義，發掘創新觀點，此為研究動機與目的，研究方法為：文獻蒐集分析、聆聽極簡音樂作品並分析、歸納整理資料，提出自己的觀點撰寫本篇期刊論文。1915年，蘇聯藝術家馬列維奇創作《黑方格》，為極簡主義的先驅；最早提出「極簡」這個詞彙的為英國哲學家理查‧沃爾海姆與美國藝評家芭芭拉‧羅絲，兩位都於1965年提出「極簡藝術」。「極簡音樂」最早為丹尼斯‧強森創作《十一月》(1959) 發端，而拉‧蒙特‧揚1964年開始創作的第一首極簡作品為《調律鋼琴》，特里‧利賴也開始創作極簡主義《C調》，史提夫‧萊許的第一首極簡音樂為《即將下雨》(1965)，葛拉斯於1967年創作極簡音樂《恍惚》；極簡主義美學觀重視「整體的法則」，音樂特徵主要有：持續的長音、結構清晰、逐漸開展的有系統的音樂、運用極小的音樂動機、重覆音樂素材並有微小變化、和聲行進與音樂力度少變化、運用增值與減值的手法創作等。未來筆者仍將繼續追蹤極簡音樂作品與其相關研究，瞭解其發展脈絡。

In 1950s, the minimal music was originated in America, there are many composers who composed according to the aesthetics of minimalism, and many musicologists wrote theses to discuss minimal music. However, “What is minimal music?” For many years, the musicologists have different viewpoints, even they have the opposite contentions. I try to clarify the definition of minimal music, and find the new viewpoints. Above all, it’s the reason and purpose of this journal. The research method is to collect and analyze the bibliography, to analyze the works of minimal music, to conclude the bibliography and audio-video information, then to write this academic journal. “Minimalism” was originated from visual arts. In 1915, Soviet artist Kasimir Malevich created Black Square, he is the pioneer of minimalism. The minimalism was established around 1945. British philosopher Richard Wolheimwho firstly proposed the term “minimalism”, he and American art critic Barbara Rose proposed “minimal art” in 1965. In 1959, Dennis Johnson created the first minimal music piece “November”. In 1964, American composer La Monte Young wrote “The Well-Tuned Piano“ which is his first compostion of minimal music in 1964. This year, Terry Riley started to create minimal music “In C”. In 1965, Steve Reich created the minimal music “It’s gonna rain”. In 1967, Philip Glass wrote the minimal music “Strung Out”. The aesthetic of minimalism focuses “the principle of wholeness”, and rejects “the complicated counterpoint”. The characteristics of minimal music includes drone, clear structure, developed gradually and systematic music, minimal motif, repeated and changed slightly musical material, the regular musical patterns, still harmonic progression and dynamics, added and decreased value techniques etc. Until now, composers still create the works of the minimal music constantly. There are many musicologists writing theses continuously. Because the minimal music changes sustainably. I will follow the works and related research of the minimal music, and comprehend the context of the development of the minimal music in the future.